Retractable vehicle step



March 2, 1948. I c. K. GABRIEL 2,

RETRACTABLE VEHICLE STEP Filed May 24, 1944 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l i fzzvezfl'or, C/zrzkigph er K Gabriel .5

zm ng March 2, 1948. c. K. GABRIEL 3 RETRACTABLE VEHICLE STEP Filed May 24, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4.

'fnvenior Patented Mar. 2, 1948 w V g I $436,961 v REmnAorABLE vnmomi s'rar Christopher-(K? Gabriel; Portland",,.0reg;

' Application 24-, 1944; Seflal 'NTo; 53751152 4 Claims. (o1. acne-1st).

. 1.1: Myinvention-relateato retractablestepsrior au.-' tomobiler trucks, and other vel1icles,-.- which are: adaptedtto swingout 'beyondiandbelow. at-marginalzedgeoi the. or bedofsurhwehicleandtm be: bracedgautomaticallyains such. extended: posie tiom. .Said retractable steps: are; adaptedaalso to: swingron their supports closely under.' and. within;- thetmarginal portions ofsa-iii: frame-,; so .as-zitotbe out of the-away,

Theprincipal obiect. of; myinvention. is-to p Q' Further and other details-oi-nmy invention,.and.

thE-l mode. ofzxoperation thereot, are hereinafwter described-.. with reference to the accompanying dnawings in which; v p I Fig. :1 is ai-perspective viemofi. sa-id stepstnuctime; together. with the rails; imgapplying; it; to a vehicle, the step being shown in retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of said step structure shown in place, supported by the underface of the floor, with the parts arranged in extended position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said step structure in retracted position attached to the undersurface of the body of a truck, or other wheeled vehicle; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the parts arranged in extended position.

A retractable step structure embodying my invention is adapted to be secured to the undersurface of the floor or bed I of a vehicle 2, such, for example, as an automobile truck, because it is with such type of vehicle that my invention has its greatest use. Said step structure comprises a pair of spaced rails 3'. which are shown in the form of angle irons, with one flange 3a arranged inwardly and bolted to the undersurface of the floor by means of bolts 4. The other flange 3b is arranged vertically.

Pairs of arms 5 and 6 are pendently supported to each of said rails by bolts 1, or other fastening devices. Theiarm i-ofieach -pairis secured tO-a rail adjacent .one. 'endathereof, and arm; 6 is connected: to: said'rai-l'inwardly thereof and adjacent the middleof; said rail. Said. armsa-re elongated-- andrpreferably areimadexof fiat; straight bars of prises treads zB; joined-by side members Illa Said: side: members: and" treadsrpreferably are welded together to tonnr-anir-integral structure. uTheilowor ends: of amns-Epreferablyare 'joi'ned tor the; step? bymeansmffanthmughf bolt: ll; whi'clr ex-v tends transverselyz oil the bucket-stepandithrough e thesidezmemberssthereoir Thelower ends ofiarms; are: securedvto :said; side? membersrby bolts: 12:. Said: arms are proportioned and arranged to hold?- the bucket step bByQHdi-fvhe' marginal edge larof the'floors or bed *and: to? hold. the treads-9. sub'stan ti'ally hprizontale-thair is; parallel-with" the:

planeofsaid floorior'be'dz.

' mlaterazllyproiecting stopel'3 is:secured' torone: or b'oth exteriorzfanes otisi'de membersalil' "andvemgages arm or arms 5, respectively, near the-:low erend or endstthereof: as is showrr inzsFig. 2. when the' amnii engazgesr-the: upper face: i311: of stop l3; the elongated" arm '6? is arranged sothat its major dimensiom-pifh projected; would" extend;-

adjacent said-face: and through the pivot'axis: oi the ilhl'fiugh bfilt lilii places the:- arm itin: compression-without: pmducmg fiexure;:. 'Ihus; it; is best disposed to prevent said step from swinging inwardly under weight placed upon either of the treads 9. When it is desired to have the step swing to retracted position, it is necessary only to lift the lowermost tread upwardly to cause the arm 6 to pivot about its pivot bolt [2, and the step will then move by its own weight, inwardly.

Extending across the rails is a pivoted latch rod l4, having a pawl or latch l5 fixed thereto. The forward edge of the lowermost tread has a laterally disposed flange l6 formed thereon, and when the step structure is swung to retracted position, said pawl or latch engages said flange to hold the step structure in retracted position, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. v

The end of said latch rod is bent at an angle to form a crank l1, lying exteriorly of one rail. Thus, when it is desired to release said latch to permit the step to move into extended position, this may be tripped by rotating the crank clockwise, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4. This permits the step to swing towards extended position and, usually, with sufficient force to cause the parts 1. A retractable step structure for a vehicle comprising a pair of rails adapted to be secured in spaced relation to an undersurface of said vehicle, pairs of spaced, elongated arms pend-' ently supported from each of said 'rails,'an integral bucket-like step pivotally secured between said pairs of arms and adapted to be swung from a 4 extended position beyond the ends of said rails to a retracted position closely beneath the latter, said step having a tread with a laterally disposed flange formed thereon and a pendent latching member extending intermediate said rails, said latch and flange being disposed automatically to come into operative engagement when said step is retracted, and a latch releasing crank lying exteriorly of' one of said rails and adapted to actuate said latch to disengage it.

4. A retractable step structure for a vehicle comprising a pair of rails adapted to be secured in spaced relation to an undersurface of said -vehicle, pairs of spaced, elongated arms pendently supported from each of said rails, an integral bucket-like step pivotally secured between said pairs of arms and adapted to be swung from an an extended position beyond the ends of said rails to a retracted position closely beneath the latter, a stop member projecting laterally 'from one of said sides and positioned to be engaged on one face by one of said arms when said step is swung to extended position. the other arm of said pair, not engaged by said stop, being straight and extending substantiallv in a line passing through the engaging face of said stop and the pivot connection of said engaging arm with said step, when the step is in extended position, to brace and hold said step against retraction.

2. A retractable step structure for a vehicle comprising a pair of rails adapted to be secured I in spaced relation to an undersurface of said vehicle, pairs of spaced, elongated arms pendently supported from each of said rails, an integral bucket-like step pivotally secured between said pairs of arms and'adapted to be swung from an extended position'beyond the ends of said rails to a retracted position closely beneath the latter,

said step having a tread with a laterally disposed extended position beyond the ends of said rails to a retracted position closely beneath the latter, said step having plane sides bearing closely within said arms and a stop member projecting laterally from one of said sides and positioned to be engaged on one face by one of said arms when said step is swung to extended position, the other arm of said pair, not engaged by said stop, being straight and extending substantially in a line passing through the engaging face of said stop and the pivot connection of said engaging arm with said step, when the step is in extended position, to brace andhold said step against retraction, said step having a tread with a laterally disposed flange formed thereon and a pendent latching member extending intermediate said rails, said parts being disposed automatically to come into operative engagement when said step is retracted, and a latch releasing crank lying exteriorly of one of said rails and adapted to actuate said latchto disengage it.

' CHRISTOPHER K. GABRIEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

